The Story of Us
by Strawberry Angel
Summary: Think of 'When Harry Met Sally' and it will explain my direction for this. P.S.-it's great to be back!


Hey Everyone! Welcome back to me. It's been way too long, so I'm hoping you'll go easy on me, seeing as I'm a lil' rusty. But I really missed writing and reading and reviewing so here I am. Back and better than before I hope. :) I missed you all very much and can't wait to hear from you! Love ya! And EnJoy  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Story of Us  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Caitie

Saying good-bye is undoubtedly the hardest thing there is to do. I stood there, watching Jamie checking over his luggage while I fought back tears.

"So he's really leaving. Off to his new college life." I mumbled to myself. I had chosen to stay with Kingsport Community College while Jamie decided Penn State was best for him. Leaving me, 19 years old, without a best friend.

"Think that's everything?" Jamie asked. I perked to attention.

"Uh yeah." I stuttered, looking around the huge airport. How people found there way around in this mess was beyond me.

"Is something bothering you, Caitie?" He questioned me.

I rolled my eyes.

"No Jamie. My best friend is leaving and..." I stopped and stared at him. "You're really leaving? You're really leaving..."

"I guess so." Jamie answered.

"You don't sound so confident."

"Well I'm not."

I gave him a playful smack on the arm. "Why not? You're just going to a whole new state to live with a bunch of people you've never met. I'd be feeling great if I were you. Getting out of here and all."

Jamie put his arm around my shoulder. "Kingsport isn't that bad. Besides, I'm always here if you need me."

I pulled away to narrow my eyes at him and glare. "No you aren't. You'll be hundreds of miles away. It's all different now. Nothing's the same and you won't always be here when I need you." I stopped short of saying 'And it's all your fault.'

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty on purpose?" Jamie accused. He sounded angry.

I gave a dramatic smile. "Me? Make you feel guilty? Of course not. Just think of it as something to think about on the plane, while you're putting distance between this place, and us."

"Look. I don't want to fight before I leave. This isn't how I want to remember our last moments together." Jamie said in a hushed voice. People nearby where staring at the commotion I was making.

"Who's fighting? Excuse me if your conscience is getting to you. Don't blame me." I hissed.

"You are so unfair. And stubborn." Jamie muttered. I was about to say something smart back but...

"Flight 173 is now boarding. Flight 173 is boarding."

"Well so much for a good-bye." I sighed.

Jamie gave me that accusing It's-Your-Fault look and shrugged. "Later."

"Much." I agreed and we both headed in opposite directions. I wonder if he saw me when I turned around to watch him walk down the terminal. Or did he happen to notice me watching his plane take off, till the exhaust trail was gone and left nothing to remember the take off but an empty feeling in my gut.  
  


Jamie  
  


Caitie was always stubborn. And she always got the last word. That had bugged me for a long time. As I settled down into my seat next to a large man who was already snoring, I was curious to whether Caitie had seen me turn around to walk her black hair sway from side to side as it always did when she got angry. And it was my fault.

But college was important. And if I ever wanted to become a doctor, I figured college was inevitable. Caitie's idea was that college was just another branch of high school that had no real impact on your life in the long run. It was obvious that I was the smarter of the two of us. 

It wasn't like I was the first one to leave either. Val, Hank and Tyler all had gone before me. Maybe that's what made Caitie so angry. I was all she had left.

Still, she didn't have to be so bratty back there at the airport. It was our last time together for a while. Maybe I was too sentimental.

Caitie stayed mad at me for a few weeks. But when I called home to talk to my mom, Dominique, my fifteen year old sister, informed me Caitie had been over asking about my phone number in Pennsylvania. I decided she could be the first to call. She was the one who had started the whole fight anyway.

Weeks passed and still no call from Caitie. But then, a miracle. The one night I went down to the library to work on a paper, she finally got the guts.

Bryan was grinning at me when I stumbled in, half dead from lack of sleep, at midnight. I gave him a look before making my way to my room. Bryan and I had hit it off immediately, but when I hadn't slept for almost 20 hours, even charming, good-looking, fun loving Bryan was in danger of getting whip-lash from a verbal assault. He didn't take the hint and popped up in front of me.

"Guess who called?" Bryan's eyes sparkled mischievously.

I was in no mood for guessing games. "Who." I asked without my energy.

"That girl..Cathy. No Caitie. The one you've been obsessing over for weeks."

That woke me up.

"Caitie called? When? What for? Did she say something was wrong?"

"Whoa there. Um around ten, because she missed you and she said everything was fine. Caitie's very polite." Bryan smiled.

"You must have met a different Caitie. How long did the two of you talk?" I sank on to my bed.

"Eh maybe 10 minutes. 15 tops."

"Should I call her back now? It's kinda late." I glanced at the clock. 12:17 a.m. 

"My question is 'Will you be able to sleep if you don't.'"

I considered that and grabbed the phone. "Probably not."  
  
  
  


Caitie

People who call at any hour past eleven should be hung by their shoelaces. At least, those were my thoughts when my phone jarred me awake at 12:20. I ripped it off the base and held it near my ear.

"Hello..." I grumbled. I hoped the person on the other line understood it.

"Caitie! You have no idea how good it is to hear you're voice." Jamie exclaimed.

"Jamie!" I was suddenly feeling awake. "I wasn't expecting you to call..."

"Did I wake you up?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah but it's worth it. So how's college?" I questioned excitedly. I was finally talking to Jamie.

"College is...hard. I'm having fun though. You talked to Bryan right?"

"Uh-huh. He seems like a really nice guy. I was wondering Jamie, how would you feel if I told you that at this time next Monday we could be together?" Caitie smiled into the dark.

"What?"

"I bought plane tickets and thought you could use a visit from your best friend."

It took a few seconds before he answered. I could sense the shock. "When does your plane come? I could pick you up."

"Monday evening at 5:30."

"Great. So I'll see ya then."

"You bet."

"I can't wait." Jamie said.

"Me neither." I agreed and prepared to hang up.

"Caitie," Jamie whispered quietly, like he didn't want anyone to hear him.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about the airport." He sounded sincerely apologetic.

"Don't worry about it Jamie. Already forgotten. I've missed you so much that it was the last thing on my mind. I gotta go. I'll see ya real soon. Love ya!"

"Love you too. Bye!" Jamie answered.

Jamie

If I would have known Caitie's trip would have been so much trouble, I would have insisted she didn't come. But as they say, hindsight is always 20/20. So, that Monday evening I waited for Caitie to come strolling down the terminal, with a big smile on her face. But when she came into view, I felt something I'd never fully felt for Caitie before. My heart starting beating fast and I was getting nervous, almost like I was scared I'd have to talk to her. I reasoned with myself that it was all because I hadn't seen her in so long. Still, I found myself thinking she'd never looked so beautiful.

The first thing she did was wrap me in a big hug and kiss me on the cheek. I felt like I was a seventh grader who had just discovered girls all over again. The next thing Caitie did was go off on the lousy airport service and how the stewardess has spilt wine of her jacket.

"You think they'd train these people. Well all I can say is my bag better be in the same condition it was when I set foot on that God-forsaken aircraft. Cheap bucket of bolts. I felt like I was sea sick the whole way. Let me warn you, never buy tickets for plane just because it's half off and they offer free peanuts." Caitie said in what sounded like one breath. She stopped to stare at me for a minute. Caitie looked almost in a trance or something, but she snapped out of it and put a smile on her face. "Well at least I'm here in one piece...surprisingly. Let's go find my bag."

I tagged a long after her; I must have resembled a lost puppy to the passerby. But Caitie was here. That was all that really mattered. I came up along side her as she inspected her bag. "How long are you staying?" I asked.

"As long as I'm welcome." That's what I loved about Caitie. Completely spontaneous. 

In my Jeep, rumbling back to my apartment I shared with Bryan, I recalled Caitie's comment. Hmm.

"So Caitie, what happened to college? If you're staying here forever, which is as long as I'd let you..." I trailed off and let her pick up the conversation.

Her face clouded over and she seemed reluctant to tell me much but she still answered. "I don't want any lectures, lemme just warn you of that."

I knew I wasn't going to like what I was about to hear, but I still replied in agreement, "No lectures."

As quick as she could, she breathed, "I dropped out."

I didn't scream or shout or even raise my voice. I just slammed on the brakes and stared at her for a minute. Caitie had to remind me there were people behind us before I started moving again.

"Dropped out?" I asked quietly.

Caitie gave me a look. "I don't want to hear it Jamie. College isn't for people like me."

"I thought we were kindred spirits."

"Well we were. But now you're a genius soon-to-be doctor and I'm...well I'm not."

We pulled up to my building. It must not have looked like much to Caitie. I was completely done talking about this no college thing but she seemed grateful for the change of subject.

"We're here!"   
  


Caitie

The place didn't looked suitable for rabid rats, let alone actual humans, let alone my best friend. But I didn't want to hurt Jamie's feelings, especially after our little 'discussion' in the car. He seemed mad enough at me already. 

He led the way into the dark hallway and then to the apartment. The apartment itself was nice. It looked a lot like Jamie but I could see another style showing through. Probably that guy Bryan's. Jamie tossed my bags onto the couch and looked around. 

"I don't know where Bryan is.." He began but a voice from somewhere in the apartment called out, "Right here."

And soon a guy with red hair and a great smile appeared in front of me. He shook my hand and grinned at me.

"Hi Caitie. Nice to finally meet you. Jamie talks of nothing else." Bryan greeted. I smiled to show I figured.

"Well what can I say? With someone as wonderful as myself, who could possibly think of something else to talk about?" I joked and turned to smile at Jamie. He gave me a half smile and shrugged.

"So Caitie," Bryan asked, "How long are you staying?"

"Um I think I'll get a hotel room down the road." 

Jamie jumped up. "What? You can stay here."

"Thanks but I grew up with three brothers. It doesn't sound all that tempting.

But I stayed with them. Jamie even gave up his room and shared with Bryan. I figured I could definitely make thing a permanent thing. I stayed with them for months before I realized that I should start paying rent. It seemed obvious I had moved to P.A. and had kissed Kingsport, Virginia good-bye.

Jamie

I think it was those months Caitie was living with us that I fell in love with her. I guess that seems sudden but it was how I felt. The problem was, I got the feeling it wasn't mutual. And it didn't happen over night either. I suppose things all started one November evening at our apartment.

Over those few months, the three of us, Caitie, Bryan, and I, had all become good friends. Caitie was thinking of moving out into her own place. We were all talking about it and it all seemed harmless.

"You should stick around, Caitie." I began. "What's the point of being with me if you aren't with me?"

Caitie started to answer but Bryan had to say something "She didn't come here for you exactly. I mean, if she does stay here with us, it'll be for me too. We're all friends now."

I glared at Bryan for a moment. Caitie didn't make any move to say anything. She just sat, staring. I couldn't believe it. Where did this guy get off? My friend! She didn't come for Bryan. No way. It was unbelievable. And why did she just sit there?

So Bryan and I had a few choice words to share and everything ended with Bryan storming out the front door, leaving me and Caitie to sit and ponder.

Caitie sighed. It was one those sighs that let me know she wasn't happy.

"What?" I hadn't exactly cooled down yet.

"Jamie, what you said wasn't very nice. Bryan was just trying to make a point that I'm his friend too." Caitie said softly.

"I've known you longest." I must have sounded like a complete baby.

Caitie jumped up. "Jamie! Quit acting so childish!"

She left. I sat there for a moment, wondering what had happened. It all started out as an attempt to convince her to stay living with us. Now it was a fight over....who knew. I figured some fresh air would be nice. I stepped onto the balcony overlooking the backyard. And down below me, I could make out two figures. Bryan and Caitie. I stooped down behind the railing and strained to hear their hushed voices.

"Bryan, Jamie's just...well he's used to him being my closest male friend. I guess he feels threatened. I don't know. But don't take it personally. Jamie has been with me through a lot and we've always been together. He doesn't want to lose me to someone else." Caitie whispered.

"I'm not trying to do that. I just really like you. Not the way Jamie does. I want to be friends with you too."

"I know Bryan." And Caitie gave him a hug and a quick kiss. And I felt like someone has punched me in the stomach. Caitie hadn't kissed me since the I was a sophomore. And I told her at Homecoming she was the most gorgeous football player I'd ever seen. She blushed and kissed me. Back then, it wasn't really anything to me. I liked it and all but it wasn't something special that I thought of night and day.

But then, as I sat under the stars, with her down below me, hugging my room mate, I fell in love with Caitie Roth.

***So that's it! I think for now. I'm uploading it and everything tonight. I've missed you all and can't wait to hear from you.***


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